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A Greek Orthodox priest was shot dead in front of his church in Lyon, France.
One person has been arrested, according to Reuters.
The incident comes at a time when France is in full swing following the attack on a church in Nice.
At 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon, an Orthodox priest was shot and killed in Lyon, France, according to AFP.
The priest was about to close his church on rue Saint-Lazare when the attacker, a man in his 40s, entered the church and shot the priest twice in the chest, according to Le Progres.
The priest must have been conscious when the rescue service arrived and indicated that he did not know the person who attacked him, according to the newspaper.
The shooter must have acted alone and used a sawed-off shotgun, writes Le Parisen. After the shooting, he fled the scene.
Later on Saturday night, a police source told Reuters that one person had been arrested.
The priest will now be transferred to the intensive care unit. He is said to have life-threatening injuries.
Reopens the crisis unit
A major police operation is underway to find the shooter. Local authorities urge the public to stay away from Rue Jean Macé in Lyon.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin wrote on Twitter:
“Avoid the area and follow directions. Support our security and rescue forces on site. I am on my way to Paris and will open the crisis unit together with the president and the prime minister. “
France has been hit by several terrorist attacks in recent weeks and the country’s preparedness for terrorist threats has been raised to the highest level.
The motive for the attack on the priest is currently unknown, and therefore it is unclear whether the attack is related to terrorism.
In France, many are on high alert after Thursday’s knife attack in Nice, where three people were stabbed to death.
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